Method and apparatus for simultaneously assembling a plurality of tires

A method of building a tire comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a tire building apparatus (10) having a first turret (16) spaced from a second turret (18), a transfer unit (156) positioned between said first turret (16) and said second turret (18), said first turret (16) having a first drum (34) and a second drum (36), said second turret (18) having a third drum (58) and a fourth drum (60), a first station (I) and a second station (II) located at said first turret (16) for positioning said first drum (34) and said second drum (36) adjacent tire component applicators (122, 124), a third station (III) and a fourth station (IV) located at said second turret (18) for positioning said third drum (58) and said fourth drum (60) to receive a carcass band from said transfer unit (156) and other tire components, a third turret (120) spaced from said second turret (18) with a fifth drum (82) and a sixth drum (84), a fifth station (V) and a sixth station (VI) located at said third turret (20), and a second transfer unit (170) positioned between said third turret (20) and said second turret (18);
• (b) positioning said first drum (34) in said first station (I);
• (c) applying a first station (I) tire component to said first drum (34);
• (d) rotating said first turret (16) about a generally horizontal axis to move said first drum (34) to said second position (II);
• (e) applying a second station (II) tire component to said first drum (34) to form a tire band (158);
• (f) rotating said first turret (16) about said generally horizontal axis to move said first drum (34) and said tire band (158) to said first station (I);
• (g) transferring said tire band (158) from said first drum (34) to said third drum (58) at said third station (III) by said transfer unit (156) and applying beads to said tire band (158);
• (h) rotating said second turret (18) about a generally horizontal axis to move said third drum (58) to said fourth station (IV);
• (i) applying a tire component to said fifth drum (82) at said fifth station (V) at approximately the same time the steps (b) through (h) are performed;
• (j) rotating said third turret (20) about a generally horizontal axis to move said fifth drum (82) to said sixth station (VI);
• (k) applying another tire component to said fifth drum (82) to provide a tread breaker package;
• (l) rotating said third turret (20) about said generally horizontal axis to move said fifth drum (82) to said fifth station (V);
• (m) transferring said tread breaker package from said fifth station (V) to said fourth station (IV) of said second turret (18) by said second transfer unit (170), after said second turret (18) moves said third drum (58) to said fourth station (IV);
• (n) rotating said second turret (18) about said generally horizontal axis to move said third drum (58) from said forth station (IV) to said third station (III);
• (o) removing said tire carcass from said third drum (58) for transfer to storage or vulcanization facilities;
• and,
• (p) maintaining said first drum (34), said second drum (36), said third drum (58), said fourth drum (60), said fifth drum (82) and said sixth drum (84) in general alignment along an axis through out the time the steps (b) through (o) are performed.